Massage table



J. B. STEWART MASSAGE TABLE Feb. 9, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 10, 1957 v INVENTOR ki l/24:55. 575M427 ATTORNEY Feb. 9, 1960 J. B. STEWART 2,924,215

MASSAGE TABLE Filed June 10, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 a ow HIGH I m SELECTOR 24 72 7 76 3 0 82 u mm m u HIP L '6 RT LEG Lo u LE6 m INVENTOR Q Q I? 6 9 ATTORNEY Feb. 9, 1960 J. B. STEWART MASSAGE TABLE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 10, 1957 IL ow [L ATT OR N EY Unit S The present invention relates to method of massage as 'well as improvements in table apparatus on which a human body may sit or recline and be subject to mechanical vibrations. Such tables are well known in the art and they have gone into limited use particularly in connection with physical therapy.

It is the main object of the present invention to provide a table of the class described in which improvements have been made in the arrangement, construction and operation of the vibrating means and in the areas of vibration so as to simulate the effects of Swedish massage.

Another object is to provide an apparatus of the type described in which the supporting surface of the table is subjected to selective and localized areas of vibration.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the type described in which there is a plurality of sources of vibration, said sources having both general and localized vibrational effects upon the body supporting surface of the table, the frequency and amplitude of the vibration of each source being selectively controlled.

' A further object is to provide a vibratory table for simulating Swedish massage characterized by surges or out-of-phase vibrations which (a) impart a rippling action to the muscles of the body, (11) provide a gentle manipulation of the joints, and subject the areas of the body engaging the table surface with a gentle hacking or pounding motion.

'A still further object of the invention resides in a meth 0d of simulating Swedish massage by imposing vibrations to produce surges and out-of-phase conditions upon a vibratory table surface.

' A still further object is to provide an improved method of simulating Swedish massage in which a resiliently supported surface vibrates at one frequency and as locali'zed areas within the same surface vibrating at a different and variable frequency. v v

I Another object of the invention is to provide a method of simulating Swedish massage comprising steps of impressing a vibration of higher frequency lower amplitude upon a body supporting surface having an existing vibration of lower frequency higher amplitude.

A still further object is to provide a method of subjecting a human body to vibrations simulating Swedish.

massage comprising the steps of supporting the body upon a surface having a consistency comparable to human flesh and vibrating the support at out-of-phasefrequencies to provide surges of impressed vibrations to the body supporting surface.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following specification and claims.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a plan view of a table taken from below, Fig. 2 is a side-elevational view of Fig. 1,

ates Patent Fig. 4 is a perspective view of eccentric weight shown removed from the motor shaft,

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the table taken on line VV of Fig. 1,

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 taken on line VI-VI of Fig. 1,

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detailed view of the control panel shown in Fig. 2,

Fig. 8 is an enlarged detailed view shown in vertical cross-section of the spring supporting and vibrating structure,

Fig. 9 is a diagrammaticillustration of the action of one of the fibrated members, and

Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic layout of the electrical circuit.

Referring to the illustrated form of the invention, the

table 10 is shown with a head end 12, a foot end 14, supporting legs 16, and a top supporting massage surface 18. The rigid vertical sides and ends 20 give marginal support to the pad 22. A control panel 24 is shown attached to one side 20.

In practice, the table 10 is approximately seven feet in length to permit an adult person of normal height to comfortably recline upon the pad with the width approximately three feet to support the body well within the sides 20. A main vibrating frame 26 which in the illustrated and above described form may be roughly two feet by six feet, is of relatively rigid structure. 'As shown the sides 28 of the frame 26 are of inverted U section with L-section ends 30.

Sides 20 may be of plywood to which longitudinally extending L-section rails 32 are attached to give support to the springs 34 which in turn give support to the sides 28 of the frame 26. As shown, springs 34 are coiled with a lower horizontal projection 36 having an eye to receive a suitable fastener for securing the springs 34 to the rails 32. The remainder of the springs 34 are shown coiled about a vertical axis with an eye at' the upper end to receive a suitable fastener for the attachment of the upper ends of each spring 34 to the sides 28. Space blocks 38 are shown inserted into the channels of the sides 28 at the location of each spring 34. Parallel to the ends 30 are spaced inverted T-section cross members 40, 42 and 44 attached at their outer ends to the sides 28. The L-section cross members 45, parallel to the sides 28, and extending between the end 30 and member 40 and between the member 40 and the member 42, complete the main vibrating frame 26."

and selective vibration of the pad 22 desired. For con venience of disclosure, the members 46 giving support to various areas of the pad 22 upon which variouspor- Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic layout showing the vibrating members removed from the table frame,

tions of the body are disposed, are shown in Fig; 3 removed from the table 10 and have been given the f0llowing legends: RS (right arm and shoulder), LS (left arm and shoulder), RL (right leg), LL (left leg), HS (hip and tip of spine), RH (right side of hips), LH (left the sea Patented Feb. 9, .1960

' 3 hers--28, 30,40, 42, 44 and 45 of the frame 26 through springsfifiuwhich. may correspond in formand mounting to the springs 34. In Fig. 8 the manner in which the members 46, 46' are attached to the upper end eye of thespringsgliisis'sclearly shown'cl For providing general vibration: ofwthenpfldrzz. solely:

through :vibralionsoilthe. tramelfi an electric-moto 59 is shown in Fig. 5 mounted from the cross member .42

ofthefr'ameiZfi: Rotonshaft 5.2 of the. motor .sozis. shown unbalanced by oil center weights 54 attached thereto;

Rotation of: the motoritiwill vibrate the frame 26mm the springs 34. This vibration istransmittednthrough pada22.;.

In the illustrated embodiment, each member 46 has;

depending therefronron atpaircf springs 56,. a motor 59 which may correspond inzall, respects to themotor St) on the ;f11ame. 2 6'.

Referring to Fig. 7, the control panel 24 has an ofi;

throughthe selector 70, they each have an independent circuit.- Thus, the switchJTand-rheostat controls the: motor50. of theRHarea of. Fig. 3; switchz76 .and.rheo,- stat 78 controls the motor 50 of'LH area; switehSO-and rheostat 82 controls the motor 50' of RL area; switch 84 and rheostat 86 controlsthe motor 50' of LL .area. Obviously this arrangement may be extended tocovenwith.

individualcontrol each; of the members 46. i

In Fig. is shown the electrical wiring diagramin whichtheigrounded three-prong plug 88,carries three wires, the ground wire being connected to the frame. 26

and 110 IV. alternating current being carried bywtheIother two wires to the control panel 24 and hence to. the .various electric motors.

stations, 1 to 11 .onthe'dial selector 70 of Fig. .7. It will also be noted from,Fig, 7 that the stationsZ toll of the selector 70 are-keyed to the areas RS, LS, RL,.LL-, HS, RH ,.LH,,B, H and F of Fig. 3.

To. describe in greater detail certain of the components oimy improved table, in thepresent commercial form of my; invention for the adulttable motors50, 501 having a rated & H.P. andwound to be regulated over the de- Siredspeedrange by the rheostats and weighing. approximately 11b. 8 oz. give satisfactory performance with the frameZG-cf light section aluminum. Springs 34 and 48. are wound in the manner of the spring 48 shownin greater detailin- Fig. 8, being of conical shapewith. the overalllengtlrF/rf, with a taper from top to bottomaof 1%! to .1%". The. springs34, 48 and56 are wound.

from; .155. hard drawn steel springwiret, Spring 56, as shown in;Fig, 8 is conicallywound withan overall length While :.it must be. appreciated that the simulationmf Swedish massage may be. accomplished within the scope of the present invention invarying degrees,.I.hav.e.found that-with, themotors 50, 507 and the springs.34,::48..and

For convenience, the motors, 50, 50 havebeen numberedl to 11 in Fig. 10 and conforms to.

tion of the members 46 in.their relationship to the pad 22 and the frame26. With the members 46 marginally gives the best results when it is comparable to the fleshy part olf the human body. As shown in Fig. 8, in practice the member 46 is A" plywood, the lower side of the pad light weight canvas, the upper side a durable, attractive plastic covering with the core of sponge rubber or foamed plastic of the desired consistency.

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic showing, illustrating the gymsupported on the springs48 and the motors 50' depending from the pair of springs56, the out-of-balance forces on.

ductor- 92' with any one tof-gthe electrical conductors .94 i

of positions 1 to 10 of the dial-selector. 70, all in a Well. known-.manner. Withgthe. knob at. station 1,,as. shown ir Fig 10, andthe. switch. 66 onf IHOiOI-Z 50,',No.i. l. of Fig,, 10,, will. cause the: frame 26 to:

vibrate andthe entire. area of the pad 22 will be subjected. to a generally uniform vibration,, the frequency of which.

maybe varied by rotating the rheostat 68. Under these conditions theentirebody, of a person reclined upon1 the. pad 22. will. be. .subjectedlo, a. gentle massage.

Rotation of-mhe knob 90- clockwise from: station. l..to

station 2 will stop-motor .50.and the vibration oftheframe. 26 thereby, and start motor No. 2 of Fig. ll). of theten different motors 5i)"; depending from the. members 46..

This will cause vibration of the member 46 associated. with the area RS ofFig. 3.,and the portion of thepad 22.

immediately supported by area RS will be vibrated'in the. manner. shownin Fig. 9 and the rightarm and shoulder. musclewill." be massaged. with the frequencyofvibration. 3 controlled-by rotating the rheostat 68 between its high.

and low positions. With the knob 90 rotated from stag tion 2 to station 3, the No. 3 motor of Fig. 10..wil1 be operated, ,the 1. area LS of .Fig. 3 will be vibrated; and the left arm and shoulder muscle. will bemass saged. Proceedingin. a .similar manner from: station 4 to station, 11, inclusive, will result. in the massagingser. quences of'right. leg, left. leg, hips and tip of spineifigm side of hips, left side of hips, lumbar region,.;thoracic,rc-,. gion, and, feet.

the rheostat 68. i

. Withthe switch 66 fofi. and, switch 72 .onfil motor N,o.,.7 isstarted and thearea RH-is vibrated. At .thetsame, time, itswitch, 78iisiturned. on, motor No. 8 is. operated and theareaLHis vibrated along with the area Thus, both, thelright and left sides of thehips mayybc simultaneously massaged. By adjustment, .of the. Ihfl)? stats 74 and 78 the,.vibration .of-the.area,RH may,bc difierent thanarea LH and. surges and out-of-phase .con

ditions of, vibrationwill beset up on the areas .RH..and,

LH, which aretransmittedlo. the immediate adjacent areas .of. the.pad.22.,and,hence tothe hiparea. of the reclined body. As the weight and position,of..the-body. upon the pad .22, will, effect. .the form and amplitude of the surges. and, ,OlltrOf-PhflSfi condition, of ,vibration,; some manipulation of the rheostats 74 and 78 is required ,to obtain the desired condition of operation.

The massage. characteristics. of the pad 22 may be further regulatedand altered. with the switch 66..onand the knob 90-at station-No. l. frame26 being-generally vibratedby the motor '50 '(No.'

In .each ofstations 1 to 1.1. itzwillhbe understood that. themotors No.-.1 to No. 11 inclusive, may have their speed ofirotation, and the .resulting frequency of amplitudeof-vibration varied by manipulating This will result in; the

l of Fig. at one selected frequency anda portion of the superstructure of the frame 26 being independently vibrated at the same or different frequency with any one or more of the switches 72, '76, 80 or 84 in on position. With this arrangement it becomes possible to impress one frequency and amplitude of vibration of the pad 22 upon another frequency and amplitude of vibration.

. It will be understood that from the layout of the control panel of Fig. 7 and from the wiring diagram of Fig. 10 that with the switch 66 off any one or all of the motors No. 2, 4, 5, 7 and 8 may be independently and variably operated either alone or in desired combinations. With the switch 66 on, any one of the motors Nos. 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, 10 and 11 may be operated by manipulating the knob 90 simultaneously with all or any one or more of the motors Nos. 4, 5, 7 and 8. While it has been found necessary in practice, if desired, the individual control provided for the motors 4, 5, 7 and 8 may be extended to include any one or more of the remaining motors.

In practice, it may be desired to massage the feet or thoracic region with high frequency, low amplitude vibration while at the same time subjecting the hip area to surges of lower frequency, high amplitude. This can be accomplished (l) with the switch 66 on and the knob 90 at either station 10 or 11 and the rheostat 68 adjusted for high motor speed and (2) with the switches 72 and 7-6 on and the rheostats 74 and 78 adjusted to give the desired frequency, amplitude and surge conditions. Moreover, other combinations and arrangements for massaging different parts of the body at the same time under different conditions will readily occur to those skilled'in the art of massage and physical therapy.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is novel and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A massage table comprising an upper cushion massage surface, fixed margin support structure for said surface, movable support structure for said surface disposed between said margin support and below said surface, said movable support structure including a planar and relatively stifl member disposed parallel to said surface in direct supporting relation thereto, a frame spaced below said surface and said planar member and carried by said margin supporting structure, compression springs disposed between said planar member and said frame, and an out of balance rotor spring mounted on the under side of said planar member and having its rotational axis parallel to said surface and said planar member.

2. A table of the type described for simulating Swedish massage comprising a base structure, a body supporting massage pad, a main frame structure for the indirect support of said pad, resilient means for supporting said main frame from said base structure, means mounted on said main frame to vibrate the same, means defining areas of localized and direct support for the underside of said pad, resilient means for supporting said areas of support from said main frame and means mounted on said areas of support for imparting localized vibration to said pad.

3. A table as defined in claim 2, wherein said means for defining said areas of support are in the form of relatively rigid members having a planar surface for supporting the under side of said pad.

4. A table as defined in claim 3 wherein the means for vibrating said members are resiliently mounted on said members.

5. A table as defined in claim 3 wherein the means for vibrating said members are electric out-of-balance rotary vibrators, and springs for mounting said vibrators on said members.

6. A table as defined in claim 3 wherein the means for vibrating said members take the form of out-of-balance rotary vibrators, and spring means attached to the 7. A table for simulating Swedish massage comprising e a horizontally disposed pad, a fixed margin support struc ture for said pad, a main vibrating frame disposed within said support structure and beneath said pad, spring disposed between said frame and said support structure, an out-of-balance rotary vibrator supported on said main frame for rotation about an axis substantially parallel to said main frame, flat support members for said pad engaging the under side of said pad and spaced inwardly from said margin support structure for said pad, spring means disposed between said members and said main frame to give support to said pad, spring means depending from said members, and out-of-balance rotary vibrators carried on said depending spring means for rotation about axes parallel to said pad to vibrate said members independently of each other and of said main frame.

8. A table as defined in claim 7 wherein all of said spring means are in the form of spring coils.

9. A table as defined in claim 7 wherein said vibrators V are in the form of electric motors having out-of-balance rotors.

10. A table as defined in claim 9 wherein means are provided to selectively control the rate of rotation of said motors and thus the frequency andamplitude of vibration of said main frame and said members.

ll. In a vibrataing massage device of the class described, a horizontally disposed supporting pad, a flat member engaging the under side of said pad, coil springs giving'margin support to said member, a pair of coil springs depending from said member within the margin area of said support by said first springs, a motor suspended from said pair of springs and having an out-ofbalance rotor disposed substantially parallel to the plane of said flat member and of said pad.

12. In a vibrating table of the class described as set forth in claim 11 wherein said pair of springs are disposed upon opposite sides of the central axis of said fiat member, about which axis said member is caused to vibrate by the out-of-balance forces of said rotor.

13. A table for supporting and vibrating the human body comprising a top pad surface upon which the body may recline, means giving margin support to said pad, a main vibratory frame substantially coextensive with said pad within its marginal support, spring means supporting said frame from said first means, a plurality of separate members giving support to the under side of said pad within the margin support of said first means, spring means giving separate support to said members from said frame, said members giving localized support to said pad in areas of said pad upon which various members of the human body are adapted to engage, means for vibrating said frame to vibrate all of said members from said frame, and means to selectively vibrate said members independently of the source of vibration of said frame.

14. A table as defined in claim 13 wherein the frequency of vibration of said vibrating means may be varied.

15. A table as defined in claim 13 wherein said members each have an area of support at least approximating the projected area of that portion of an adult human body to be supported, namely, the head, upper back, lower back, right and left shoulders, right and left legs, feet and buttock.

16. In a vibrating massage device, a supporting surface to be vibrated to effect massage, coil springs having their axis of compression disposed substantially normal to said surface, means connecting an end of said springs to said surface, a vibrating motor having attachment structure, and means for connecting the other end of said coil springs to said attachment structure.

17. A massage table comprising an upper cushioned massage surface, means for giving marginal support to said surface, vibrated means for giving support to said surface within said marginal support, said vibrated means including upper and lower relatively rigid support strutt-v 7 1 tures, resilient means located between said structures and spaciugthe -same; a' vibrating motor attached to said lower structure,-and.spring means connected between said first'means and said -lower-- structure givingrmarginal support to said lower structure;

18: A massage table as defined in claim 17 wherein said'rigid upper'support structure gives saidupper cushioned massage surface spaced localized support 'tovibrate said massage surfacein localized" areas.

19. A vibrating massage device'cornprising an outer massage surface upon which the body to be massaged is directly supported, a vibrated support for said massage surface including a relatively rigid flat member disposed parallel to said massage surface, cushioning means disposed between said surfaces, said vibrated support "hav-' ing a second relatively rigid'member disposed parallel to said first rigid, member, resilient means disposed between said members,arvibrating motor attached to said' second rigid member, and resilient means connected to said second rigid member for giving marginal support'to said second rigid member.

20. A vibrating massage device comprising a cushioned outer massage surface structure having rigid'"ma'r'ginal support structure for, said massage surface, a. localized vibrating support for said outer surface, said suppo'rtim eluding a flat relatively rigid member disposed in paral- V lelism with said massage surface, a vibrating motor, a

resilient connection between saidmotor andjsaidjrigid clining person, each of said structures having a relatively rigid -jhori'zonta support member;- cushioning structure disposed upon the upper surface of 'said support= membery anelectric-t vibratorunit associated with each of said support members andattached to the under surface ofq said suppprt members; frame structure-for h giving sup P0111: to -said-jmassaging structures, spring 1 means. extend ing betweensaidsuppmtmembers and said frame struoture and anelectrical circuit for individually and *selectivelycontrolling-said 'vibrator units toselectively massage -different parts of the body; said? circuit including means- -for-varying the'fr equency and the-amplitude of the vibration-of said units and said support members to which they-are attachedr 22. A'massage table-for simulating Swedish massage 5 com-prising; a= pltirality of individual massaging structures' transversely and longitudinally arranged and-spaced to 'present'" a horizontal supportfor-a reclining person, said structuresbeing spaced and arrangedgto-be locatedsoas to'give' support to'the sh0ulders,'hips; thighs, and

I feet, each, said structure having a relatively flathorizontally disposedrigid support member having a;cush

ionedppperksurface an electric vibratorunit mounted upon the. lower: surface of'each of said support members fram e structures for giving support to, said mas sage structures, spring means extending between the border. of saidjsupport'members and said frame structure, andi'an electric circuit having control means therein for selectively regulating the operation of "said units.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES :PATENTS 2',s22;s04' Leach' Feb. 11, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS France June-7, 1950 

